Restaurants and cafes represent the fastest growing segment of Wi-Fi hotspots, according to recent data released by JiWire 34,544 restaurants and cafes currently offer Wi-Fi access, representing an increase of 18,267 hotspots from a year ago.
Hotspot growth per location type:
January 2005 January 2006 Hotspot Growth
Restaurants & Cafes 16,277 34,544 18,276
Hotels & Resorts 16,417 26,861 10,444
Stores/Shopping Malls 5,421 13,985 8,564
"As Wi-Fi becomes more integrated into consumer electronics products such as digital cameras, VoIP phones and gaming devices, people have come to expect an Internet connection at all times," says Kevin McKenzie, CEO of JiWire. "Restaurants and cafes have found that by offering Wi-Fi access, they are able to provide a valuable amenity to their customers and often gain a competitive advantage over other venues that don't."
Tokyo has the most restaurants and cafes with Wi-Fi access (1,037), followed by London (578) and Singapore (410). Within the United States, New York City has the most restaurants and cafes with Wi-Fi access (328), followed by San Francisco (319) and Chicago (271).
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